| December 9, 2005 |
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) today hosted a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Pace and Members of Congress. Other Members who attended the meeting were: Reps.
Sam Johnson (R-TX), Jim Marshall (D-GA), Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). The Secretary discussed the progress America and Iraqis are making in Iraq and in the War on Terror; specifically talking about the capability of the Iraqi Security Forces and addressing the false rumors about their ability.
"We had a very informative meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld and General Pace this morning. It's important that I and other Members have the most up to date information coming out of Iraq so that we are able to tell people what's going on," said Congresswoman Kay Granger. "I believe this is a very critical time in Iraq. It's important to remind people of the significant progress that has been made. Iraqis have held two successful elections, adopted a new constitution and have 210,000 trained and equipped security forces. That is solid success no matter how you cut it."
There were concerns voiced in the meeting that calls for immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq hurts troop morale, especially the morale of military families.
"I've met with servicemen and women in Iraq and when they come back and hear people saying we're not making any progress and we need to pull out immediately, they ask me: 'do Americans get any good news over here? Do they still support this war?' I heard a story about one soldier who came back from Iraq who said he didn't realize how bad the war was until he came home. That story really captures what we've got going on in a nutshell - most of the good news out of Iraq is simply not being reported."
Congresswoman Granger was asked to host the meeting. Granger has had numerous meetings with Secretary Rumsfeld, including a breakfast meeting that she had at the Pentagon with the Secretary the morning on September 11, 2001. 
Granger, who sits on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, has been to Iraq twice and has led two delegations to Jordan to train Iraqi Women leaders. She also chairs the Congressional War on Terror Team. Granger is the first and only female Republican to serve in the Texas House delegation. She is currently serving in her fifth term in Congress.